In a network environment, sensors can be placed at various devices or elements in the network to collect flow data and network statistics from different locations. The collected data from the sensors can be analyzed to monitor and troubleshoot the network. The data collected from the sensors can provide valuable details about the status, security, or performance of the network, as well as any network elements. Information about the sensors can also help interpret the data from the sensors, in order to infer or ascertain additional details from the collected data. For example, understanding the placement of a sensor relative to other sensors in the network can provide a context to the data reported by the sensors, which can further help identify specific patterns or conditions in the network. As network environments increase in size and complexity a large amount of data is collected and generated in monitoring the network environments. Unfortunately, larger amounts of data generated for network environments make it more difficult to analyze the data and subsequently monitor network environments. Moreover, larger amounts of data generated for network environments make it more difficult to quickly and effectively diagnose problems in the network environments in providing network assurance.